Book Review - Under the Andes

I finished reading Under the Andes by Rex Stout. I won’t say that reading it was a complete waste of time, but it came pretty close.

I remember as a child, 1st grader I believe, I wrote a story about a boy who gets lost in a cave. The typical 1st grader pabulum. The kiddo in the story keeps referring to time in strange ways, ie. “it was one noon.” For some reason I thought that “noon” and “o’clock” were interchangeable. The plot was simplistic and plodding. The cave went on and on and never seemed to end. Then, BOOM, the kid finds the way out and the story is over.

Most of the above paragraph about my own story, would fit Under the Andes perfectly.

The only redeeming qualities of the book are that I downloaded it for free onto my Kindle. Apparently even the author knows it’s no good. Secondly, it provides a fun glimpse into the types of stories that must have been the foundation for action heroes of 1930’s film serials. The whole time I read it I couldn’t not think about Indiana Jones and Doc Savage.

Sadly, after the hero’s eighteenth chase through a darkened cave by crazed Incans, even the image of Indiana Jones would be tarnished. Unless you have a lot of time to kill, and don’t mind getting nothing in return for your investment, avoid Under the Andes at all costs. Thank goodness the Nero Wolfe books on the Kindle are $2.99. Seems to suggest they’ll be more worthwhile reads.